Top Pa Fishing Destinations ...

[Stagger_Lee]

Haven’t fished in a couple of weeks and it finally feels like winter the past 8 days so this weekend I was thinking ..

What are your top 10 destinations you would recommend to a newbie for the state?

Can be any reason you choose but I think it would be cool for me (and others) to comply a ‘bucket’ list of must hit destinations. If 10 is to much 5 is fine as I'm sure many destinations will be thrown out.

Excluding my first attempt at brookie fishing in the poconos a few weeks back, I haven't even traveled West of Pickering or North of the LL so I really don't have a list. That said I've read a lot online on the topic but prefer personal preference.



Edit: Disclaimer .. see post #4

 

[mike_richardson]

I would suggest

1) Potter County, lot of streams available to fish, wild trout and stocked areas. Some FFO sections of stream as well.
2) Blair and Bedford counties. A lot of streams, look up the Yellow Creek Fly Fishing area.
3) Spring creek state college area. Fish are smart here but the area is great for a day trip.
4) Erie, most likely froze over but steel head are a blast
5) check your areas close to home. You may have a gem in your back yard.

 

[Swattie87]

I'm not sure you're gonna get a lot of love in terms of specific streams Stagger, but I'd say there are some common "PA experiences" that I think a newbie to the state would enjoy experiencing...these aren't necessarily stream specific, just what I would recommend in terms of the different kinds of FFing PA has to offer.

In no specific order...

1. CV Limestoners (Letort, BS, FS, etc)
2. Hatches on the big central PA limestoners that look like freestoners (Penns, Little J, Spring, BFC, etc)
3. Hatches on the big NC PA freestoners (Kettle, THE Pine, etc)
4. Small stream/Brookie fishing (NC PA somewhere probably)
5. Steelhead (Erie tribs)
6. BIG water (by PA standards) for Trout (The upper D, Lehigh)
7. Smallie/WW fishing (Branches of the Susky or the lower reaches of one its bigger tribs, Juniata)

 

[Stagger_Lee]

Yea swat .. after I posted I should have put the disclaimer that I get the whole spot burn sensitivity for those smaller, not so well known spots. Should have gone with the popular spots like Penns, Spring, Lake erie, Yellow Breeches etc that I read abt.

So see disclaimer gents

 

[GenCon]

Stagger, I am from Bucks county as well. Not sure what part you are from but there are some nice streams close to home.
1. Saucon
2. Little Bushkill
3. Monocacy
4.Martins
5.McMichaels

I am from Pipersville all these streams are within an hour from me.

gencon

 

[pcray1231]

I'd pretty much echo Swattie's recommendations. Though it's more by "type" of experience there than actual stream. Central PA makes an awfully good location to knock off most of them, really.

You've got the medium to big limestoners with the big hatches. Penns, LJR, BFC, and Spring Creek. The LJR certainly borders on his "BIG" water class, and Penns ain't that far from it either. In any top 10 PA destinations, all 4 would likely be on it. And they're all within an hour of State College.

But also in that area, there are a number of pretty good little mountain brookie freestoners. There's also some slow, Cumberland County like limestoners. Plenty of "off the radar" streams of all types. Good smally fishing can be head without travelling too far in the Big J, W. Br. Susquehanna, and parts of the Bald Eagle. It's not even that far to part of Big Pine if you wanted to hit a huge classic freestoner.

In other words, you can get all of those experiences (save steelhead) from one central location.

Not that you shouldn't do the others. I mean, yeah, if I'm JUST after brookies, I'd go well north of there. If I were JUST after the slowish limestoners, I'd go to the Cumberland Valley. If big Pine were my target, I'd set up base on the upper end of the canyon, not the lower end. But if you want all the "types" of fisheries in short order, I can't think of a better home base than State College. Which is why the jam is held there.

 

[Phish_On]

This time of year spring creeks. For the rest of the year almost any of the 'big' name streams will be great for someone who is unfamiliar with central PA.

 

[bikerfish]

penns.

 

[Chaz]

Pine Creek and Potter County, Pine Creek and Potter County, Pine Creek and Potter County, Pine Creek and Potter County, Pine Creek and Potter County.

 

[midnightangler]

I'm pretty shocked that the upper delaware hasn't been mentioned... I'd have to say that's probably tops on my list.

Penns. the Letort. Falling Spring. Big Spring. Pine. the Yough. the LJR. Spring Creek. Fishing Creek. Thats ten.

No little brookie streams on my list and they should definitely be fished, but I think it's wrong to put them on such a list. You can always hit cherry run to save a bad day on Penns.

 

[dryflyguy]

We've had many threads on here about the best PA streams to fish.
And the top five FF streams, usually came down to - in no particular order:

Delaware River
Penns creek
Spring creek
Fishing creek
Little Juniata

However, they are not very easy for newbies IMO.
And, whenever I take someone fishing for the first time(s), I usually go to stocked streams.
They have a better chance to catch fish, and gain some confidence in what they're doing

 

[WildTigerTrout]

dryflyguy wrote:
We've had many threads on here about the best PA streams to fish.
And the top five FF streams, usually came down to - in no particular order:

Delaware River
Penns creek
Spring creek
Fishing creek
Little Juniata

However, they are not very easy for newbies IMO.
And, whenever I take someone fishing for the first time(s), I usually go to stocked streams.
They have a better chance to catch fish, and gain some confidence in what they're doing

I agree. I live within an hour of four out of the five streams mentioned. I am a lucky man! :-D

 

[Foxgap239]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I agree. I live within an hour of four out of the five streams mentioned. I am a lucky man! :-D

Plus you get to fish with me from time to time, so that brings your luckiness to a whole new level!

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Foxgap239 wrote:

WildTigerTrout wrote:
I agree. I live within an hour of four out of the five streams mentioned. I am a lucky man! :-D

Plus you get to fish with me from time to time, so that brings your luckiness to a whole new level!

You got that right. George, as soon as the weather is better we need to get together again. Later, oh great master of flyfishingness:lol:

 

[OldLefty]

Yeah, George. He also fishes with me from time to time. That knocks down the luckiness factor dramatically!

Dave R.

 

[Foxgap239]

OldLefty wrote:
Yeah, George. He also fishes with me from time to time. That knocks down the luckiness factor dramatically!

Dave R.

LOL, but I'll bet he doesn't throw rocks at you! :roll:

 

[WildTigerTrout]

OldLefty wrote:
Yeah, George. He also fishes with me from time to time. That knocks down the luckiness factor dramatically!

Dave R.

I beg to differ with that opinion sir!

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Foxgap239 wrote:

OldLefty wrote:
Yeah, George. He also fishes with me from time to time. That knocks down the luckiness factor dramatically!

Dave R.

LOL, but I'll bet he doesn't throw rocks at you! :roll:

No, I knock him down. :-o :lol: Now George you and I both know that was a trout rising!

 

[Foxgap239]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
No, I knock him down. :-o :lol:

I knew there was more to that episode than we were led to believe! :-o

 

[Foxgap239]

WildTigerTrout wrote:
Now George you and I both know that was a trout rising!

Very true. Some of those trout rising to caddis can often seem like rocks being thrown at one's fishing hole!